“What were we thinking?” Jillian Speece and I laughed as we hugged upon meeting in front of Notre Dame’s campus bookstore. We’d both spaced that it was the Friday before the big Notre Dame-USC game. Traffic and crowds of people swarmed in every direction. Fearlessly, we stepped into the bookstore’s café and grabbed the only open table in sight. As we began our conversation the chaos of the bustling patrons that surrounded us seemingly disappeared. We had scheduled our time for a 30-minute interview. An hour and a half later we needed to wrap up, but realized we could have talked for hours more.
Jillian is part of the duo known as The Bergamot. If you don’t know who they are – yet – you’ve been missing out. They are on the cusp of becoming an “overnight success.”
Jillan Speece and Nathaniel Hoff are a singer-songwriting couple with roots in South Bend. High school sweethearts and Marian High School grads, they have evolved as musical storytellers. With the vocal chops of Celine Dion, the soulful sound of Carole King, and the rock and roll of Stevie Nicks, Jillian brings grace and authenticity to the stage. Meanwhile, Joe Walsh has nothing on Nathaniel’s prowess with the guitar. Just as easily, Nathaniel commands the keys of a keyboard and piano and often adds harmonica to the mix. Along with his vocals, similar to the sound of Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, their harmonies are pure magic.
Successful yet humble, this husband-wife band has collected countless prestigious awards and accolades through the years. All of this helped them gain traction and the attention of Glen Reynolds, a top-shelf agent out of Los Angeles. And like ripples in the water, that connection led to landing a distribution deal with Freestyle Digital Media for their film State of the Unity.
On January 2, 2016, Nathaniel and Jillian hatched a plan to share their music with people all across America. They view the troubles of our country and the world through the lens that good WILL triumph, and they want to be part of the solution.
Their 2002 Volvo station wagon became their Unity vehicle, and at every stop across ALL 50 states, they invited people to sign their car with messages of hope, peace and unity. “Ever Upwards” was Nathaniel’s message that started the ball rolling. Two hundred and sixty-four concerts later, the car was covered with thousands of signatures and, in essence, became a mobile work of art.
On October 22, 2016, their Unity tour completed, they held a celebratory benefit concert for Memorial Children’s Hospital in South Bend. This concert took place at the Morris Performing Arts Center. It was a sell-out. Later that year, the Unity car was auctioned off on eBay with all proceeds going to the Music Therapy Department at Memorial Children’s Hospital.
The next eight years became a labor of love as they worked to create a documentary of their American tour. Six versions of the film were made. In their effort to craft the best version, the first five were tossed and the sixth became a 90-minute film tagged: State of the Unity (you can see their official trailer on YouTube).
Last September while on tour in Hayesville, North Carolina, they were greeted by Dick Osborne, the father of the woman (Char) who purchased the Unity car on the eBay auction. A noted car collector, Dick explained that the Unity car had joined his collection and asked Jillian and Nathaniel if they would like to see it in his nearby warehouse. The next day triggered much emotion when Dick unveiled the 2002 Volvo, which they had not seen in six years. So many memories. It was then that Mr. Osborne told them that he thought they should have this work of art to take on their film tour and offered to sell it back to them. The deal was drawn up and sealed for $1.00.
As Jillian spoke, it became apparent that a typical day in the life of The Bergamot is anything but slothful. They crank up their day at 8 a.m., and keep it rolling until 2 a.m. In between, they practice a healthy lifestyle that seems to be their secret sauce for maintaining such a high-octane level of performance.
Jillian quipped, “When you eat sunshine, you feel like sunshine,” referencing her plant-based diet. Additionally, they incorporate movement in the form of yoga, cardio, strength training, and walking. Beyond the physicality of their daily regimen, Jillian stressed, “We are also intentional about our spiritual health.”
On October 6,, my husband and I had the opportunity to view their film State of the Unity at Cinemark Movies 14. In the film, the camera pans the passenger side of the car quickly skimming a picture taped to the front of the glove box. It was the face of Jesus. The eyes, hauntingly captivating, are unforgettable. Instinctively, I knew it was the same image I had become familiar with in 2006 when I learned about the young artist, Akiane Kramarik. Her book has held space on my bookshelf over the years. Her story is remarkable. When she was only 8 years old, she painted the image in 40 hours as she pulled inspiration from a dream she had.
I slipped this book into my tote when I headed to Notre Dame to meet Jillian. As we spoke, I asked her to tell me about the image that rode shot gun with her during their 50-state tour. She began, “It was painted by a young girl …” I pulled the book from my bag and asked her if the image in my book was the same image that had guided her journey. It was. We sat for a minute in pure amazement, connected by the eyes of Jesus, each with our own set of goosebumps. Such “happenstances” often have no explanation, they just are.
There were stretches of time when Jillan and Nathaniel came up against danger as they traveled in the states and abroad. They had been in Paris around the time terrorists attacked. Shaken to the core, it crystalized their commitment to their mission. There were also nights in the states when they didn’t have enough funds for a hotel and they slept in their car. In Portland, at a friend’s home, their car was broken into and expensive and essential equipment was stolen. It was a low point.
Out of nowhere, an “unemployed angel” stepped forward to help. In this case, the angel replaced equipment that was needed to, in the trademark words of Jillian, “Shine on!”
Within the political arena, they’ve been pressured to take sides. They have remained steadfast in their belief for unity and inclusion. “The light of our country relies on us to show up and be a torch bearer. We need to learn to forgive ourselves and others. We need to spread love, light, and kindness – especially to those who are different than us,” Jillian noted.
As multi-faceted creatives, Jillian and Nathaniel crafted every detail of their film State of the Unity with the precision of a surgeon. Their narrative, footage, and original score – is all theirs. The word masterful comes to mind.
The next couple of months (and beyond) are packed with tour dates for The Bergamot. They will be in Waco, Texas performing at Silobration 2023 on October 19-20, and then in Austin, Texas October 25 before swinging back to the DeBartolo on the campus at Notre Dame November 4. There, they will present their film State of the Unity, along with a Q & A, and 40-minute concert.
Before we parted I asked her to describe The Bergamot in one word. It took only a half of a heartbeat for her to respond, “Love.”
My thoughts exactly.
Click HERE to get tickets to The Bergamot show at the DeBartolo on November 4th.
www.thebergamot.com